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Developments in ammonia for fuel cells

IHI Corporation tested its 1 kW ammonia-fueled solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) in Japan; Project Alkammonia concluded its work on cracked-ammonia-fed alkaline fuel cells (AFC) in the EU; the University of Delaware’s project for low-temperature direct ammonia fuel cells (DAFC) continues with funding from the US Department of Energy’s ARPA-E and, in Israel, GenCell launched its commercial 4 kW ammonia-fed AFC with field demonstrations at up to 800 locations across Kenya.

In May 2019, Chemtronergy will complete another project funded under ARPA-E’s Refuel programme, “Cost-effective, intermediate-temperature fuel cell for carbon-free power generation”. This ammonia-fueled SOFC runs at a lower-than-usual temperature (650°C), and the team hopes to reduce system cost “using a combination of advanced materials discovery, reaction kinetics modeling and 3D printing technology for large-scale rapid prototyping.” In 2020, SAFCell will be concluding its ARPA-E funded project, “Distributed electrochemical production and conversion of carbon-neutral ammonia”. This is a solid acid fuel cell designed to produce power from ammonia. The technology is as it will also produce ammonia from power.